the outer door.

"Visitors!" said Martha, with a look that would have led a stranger to
suppose that she held visitors in much the same estimation as
tax-gatherers.

"How awkward!" exclaimed Aunt Jane.

"Send 'em away, girl," cried the captain. "We're all engaged. Can't
see any one to-day."

In a moment the servant-girl returned.

"He says he _must_ see you."

"See who?" cried the captain.

"See _you_, sir."

"Must he; then he shan't. Tell him that."

"Please, sir, he says he won't go away."

"Won't he?"

As he said this the captain set his teeth, clenched his fists, and
darted out of the room.

"Oh! George! Stop him! do stop him. He's _so_ violent! He'll do
something dreadful!" said Aunt Martha.

"Will no one call out murder?" groaned Aunt Jane, with a shudder.

As no one, however, ventured to check Captain Dunning, he reached the
door, and confronted a rough, big, burly sailor, who stood outside with
a free-and-easy expression of countenance, and his hands in his trousers
pockets.

"Why don't you go away when you're told, eh?" shouted the captain.

"'Cause I won't," answered the man coolly.

The captain stepped close up, but the sailor stood his ground and
grinned.

"Now, my lad, if you don't up anchor and make sail right away, I'll
knock in your daylights."

"No, you won't do nothin' o' the kind, old gen'lem'n; but you'll
double-reef your temper, and listen to wot I've got to say; for it's
very partikler, an' won't keep long without spilin'."

"What have you got to say, then?" said the captain, becoming interested,
but still feeling nettled at the interruption.

"Can't tell you here."

"Why not?"

"Never mind; but put on your sky-scraper, and come down with me to the
grog-shop wot I frequents, and I'll tell ye."

"I'll do nothing of the sort; be off," cried the captain, preparing to
slam the door.

"Oh! it's all the same to me, in coorse, but I rather think if ye know'd
that it's 'bout the _Termagant_, and that 'ere whale wot--but it don't
matter. Good-mornin'."

"Stay," cried the captain, as the last words fell on his ears.

"Have you really anything to say to me about that ship?"

"In coorse I has."

"Won't you come in and say it here?"

"Not by no means. You must come down to the grog-shop with _me_."

"Well, I'll go."

So saying the captain ran back to the parlour; said, in hurried tones,
that he had to go out on matters of importance, but would be back to
d